Read Online Bakkian Chronicles, Book I - The Prophecy by Jeffrey Poole - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jeffrey Poole
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never fails. Leave two women in the same room and even if they didn’t know one another, they’d find something to talk about.
Sarah looked up at him and smiled. “Hi! Were you able to help out?”
Steve looked down and shuffled his feet. “Well, not exactly. I had a feeling that if I tried to jump in and lend a hand that I’d be in the way. He’s very versatile. I do have some info for you that might help us out.”
“ You do? That’s great! Nilhanu and I have been chatting as well. After breakfast, we’ll compare notes.”
They feasted on roast rypo and boiled grains. It was not an Egg McMuffin, but it wasn’t too bad. The rypo didn’t taste like fish at all, more like pork. The meat had too much fat in it, but that didn’t seem to stop Sarah from enjoying it. Steve, meanwhile, was nonchalantly trying to trim the fat off of his piece of fish without making it look too obvious what he was doing. He was determined to eat this meal without making too much of a fuss.
Once they finished their breakfast, Sarah helped Nilhanu clean up while Kornal presented Steve with an old, used knapsack. Together, they packed the sack with dried meats and other foodstuffs that would see them through the several day journey to R’Tal.
“ Kornal, I can’t thank you enough for your hospitality. I’m quite convinced we wouldn’t have been able to survive last night if it wasn’t for you and Nilhanu.” Steve offered his hand to Kornal. “I won’t forget this.”
Kornal grasped his forearm warmly.
“ Steve, it has been my pleasure. I hope ye and Sarah find what ye are looking for and have a safe journey to R’Tal.”
Nilhanu and Sarah joined them outside. Steve hoisted the pack onto his back.
Their hostess smiled at the both of them. “Please, if at all possible, send word back to us that the two of ye arrived safely. I will not rest easy until I know ye are safe in the castle.”
Sarah stepped up and hugged Kornal, then Nilhanu. “We will, I promise.”
Steve cleared his throat. “Ummm, exactly how do we do that? Send word to you, that is. Tell me how and I will.”
“ My apologies, I keep forgetting that ye are not familiar with our ways. Ye can send word by trained kytes. All villages have them. Very useful. Or,” Kornal paused, “if ye gain the favor of their royal highnesses, ye could send word by jhorun.”
“ Kites. Jorren. Got it.”
Kornal picked up a stick, smoothed the dirt in front of them.
“ Now, we are here.” Kornal drew a small house in the dirt. “A day’s walk should bring ye to here, where the Wanlu breaks off from the Zylan River.” Kornal drew a line about five feet long and drew a connecting line from the south that joined the main line at roughly the halfway point. “Ye can choose to follow either the river, or travel along the forest edge. Both will take ye to the great sea.” Tapping the line that stretched straight toward to the lake, Kornal continued. “I would follow this. Ye will find the village of Donlari along the way if ye go that way.”
“ What about the other way? Any advantage to taking that route?” Sarah asked.
“ The forest path is less travelled than the river.” Kornal drew more marks into the dirt. “If ye choose, ye can follow that around the valley perimeter. That would take you directly to R’Tal. It is shorter, but there are no villages if ye need help. The other way, leading to the sea, ends here. From there, ye would have to turn north, following the coastline. In two days ye would find yerself before the castle. All told, this path,” Kornal pointed to the east-west path, “will take ye about three days, two if ye hurry.”
“ Which way would you take?” Sarah asked Kornal.
Kornal pointed toward the line depicting the river.
“ Ye would be wise to take the river path. If ye encounter trouble, or need more supplies, ye can find what ye need in Donlari.”
“ Whereabouts would we find Donlari on this map?”
Kornal made a small
Sarah looked up at him and smiled. “Hi! Were you able to help out?”
Steve looked down and shuffled his feet. “Well, not exactly. I had a feeling that if I tried to jump in and lend a hand that I’d be in the way. He’s very versatile. I do have some info for you that might help us out.”
“ You do? That’s great! Nilhanu and I have been chatting as well. After breakfast, we’ll compare notes.”
They feasted on roast rypo and boiled grains. It was not an Egg McMuffin, but it wasn’t too bad. The rypo didn’t taste like fish at all, more like pork. The meat had too much fat in it, but that didn’t seem to stop Sarah from enjoying it. Steve, meanwhile, was nonchalantly trying to trim the fat off of his piece of fish without making it look too obvious what he was doing. He was determined to eat this meal without making too much of a fuss.
Once they finished their breakfast, Sarah helped Nilhanu clean up while Kornal presented Steve with an old, used knapsack. Together, they packed the sack with dried meats and other foodstuffs that would see them through the several day journey to R’Tal.
“ Kornal, I can’t thank you enough for your hospitality. I’m quite convinced we wouldn’t have been able to survive last night if it wasn’t for you and Nilhanu.” Steve offered his hand to Kornal. “I won’t forget this.”
Kornal grasped his forearm warmly.
“ Steve, it has been my pleasure. I hope ye and Sarah find what ye are looking for and have a safe journey to R’Tal.”
Nilhanu and Sarah joined them outside. Steve hoisted the pack onto his back.
Their hostess smiled at the both of them. “Please, if at all possible, send word back to us that the two of ye arrived safely. I will not rest easy until I know ye are safe in the castle.”
Sarah stepped up and hugged Kornal, then Nilhanu. “We will, I promise.”
Steve cleared his throat. “Ummm, exactly how do we do that? Send word to you, that is. Tell me how and I will.”
“ My apologies, I keep forgetting that ye are not familiar with our ways. Ye can send word by trained kytes. All villages have them. Very useful. Or,” Kornal paused, “if ye gain the favor of their royal highnesses, ye could send word by jhorun.”
“ Kites. Jorren. Got it.”
Kornal picked up a stick, smoothed the dirt in front of them.
“ Now, we are here.” Kornal drew a small house in the dirt. “A day’s walk should bring ye to here, where the Wanlu breaks off from the Zylan River.” Kornal drew a line about five feet long and drew a connecting line from the south that joined the main line at roughly the halfway point. “Ye can choose to follow either the river, or travel along the forest edge. Both will take ye to the great sea.” Tapping the line that stretched straight toward to the lake, Kornal continued. “I would follow this. Ye will find the village of Donlari along the way if ye go that way.”
“ What about the other way? Any advantage to taking that route?” Sarah asked.
“ The forest path is less travelled than the river.” Kornal drew more marks into the dirt. “If ye choose, ye can follow that around the valley perimeter. That would take you directly to R’Tal. It is shorter, but there are no villages if ye need help. The other way, leading to the sea, ends here. From there, ye would have to turn north, following the coastline. In two days ye would find yerself before the castle. All told, this path,” Kornal pointed to the east-west path, “will take ye about three days, two if ye hurry.”
“ Which way would you take?” Sarah asked Kornal.
Kornal pointed toward the line depicting the river.
“ Ye would be wise to take the river path. If ye encounter trouble, or need more supplies, ye can find what ye need in Donlari.”
“ Whereabouts would we find Donlari on this map?”
Kornal made a small
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